In order to qualify to win this prize via this Facebook/Blog contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, Jan 12 at 9PMEST. We will pick one winner via a random drawing and announce him/her on Facebook and here on this Blog the day after the contest ends (Sunday Jan 13).

This is Novotná’s own English-language version of her best-selling memoir

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ENTRY TASK to be completed by Saturday, Jan 12 at 9PM EST —

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

THE QUESTION:Why would you like to win a copy of this book?

NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

About the Book: A legendary beauty, hailed as one of the greatest singing actors of her time, Jarmila Novotná (1907–1994) was an internationally known opera soprano from the former Czechoslovakia. Best known for her performances in Der Rosenkavalier, The Marriage of Figaro, and La Traviata, she was a celebrated performer at the Metropolitan Opera and other theaters across Europe and the United States. A “natural screen actress,” Novotná also appeared in Hollywood hits such as The Search (1948) with Montgomery Clift (with whom she shared an enduring friendship) and The Great Caruso (1951) with Mario Lanza. She was also considered a pioneering “crossover” star who performed on Broadway, and worked in radio and television with Bing Crosby and Abbott and Costello. Throughout this memoir, lavishly illustrated with photos from her personal collection, Novotná shares entertaining stories about her time in Hollywood, an “unending stream of parties”― including those hosted by Louis B. Mayer, co-founder of MGM Studios―alongside such stars as Jimmy Stewart and Elizabeth Taylor. Novotná also offers revealing profiles of many notable artistic figures of the time, including director Max Reinhardt, composer Cole Porter, and conductor Arturo Toscanini, and dignitaries such as Dwight Eisenhower and Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the first president of Czechoslovakia. This fascinating self-portrait offers a window on history and the reflections of a captivating and supremely talented figure who left an indelible mark on the performing arts.

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Click here for the full contest rules.

Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.

And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).

I would love to read about Jarmila! I’m unfamiliar with her, and am fascinated by the blurb stating that she was an international, cross-over artist who succeeded as opera star, film actor, and on television with such main-stream comedians as Abbott and Costello. I’m most interested in the back-stories of how the stars of the golden age played and relaxed. I love the stories of the grand Hollywood parties and who hobnobbed with whom! I appreciate how her memoir has been translated into English, and look forward to learning more about her. Thanks for giving us a heads-up on a star who is new to me!